Aussies frightened of travelling to India

Published: Friday, November 28, 2008, 13:05 [IST]

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Sydney, Nov 28 (UNI) Several top Australian cricketers are scared of travelling to India after the terror attacks in Mumbai and are relieved that the inaugural Champions League T20 tournament has been postponed.

More than a hundred people have been killed in the most recent terror atack to hit India. Scores of foreign tourists were taken hostage which has alarmed many players, who were due to visit the country.

Legendary leg-spinner Shane Warne was on his way to skipper the Rajasthan Royals when he and travelling partner Darren Berry heard the news at Singapore Airport.

''We are heading to Mumbai and that's the hotel we are staying at. I don't think we will be going (to India) now. Why would you?'' Warne told the Herald Sun yesterday.

''At this stage I am going to stay where I am for the rest of the day, but I reckon we are certainties to be on a flight heading home later today,'' he added. ''It is just not worth the risk. No amount of money is worth the risk with what is going on over there at the moment.'' All-rounder Shane Watson, who played for Mumbai Indians in the first Indian Premier League (IPL), is also not sure whether he would like to go back.

''I know they are not going to send us into an area under high alert,'' Watson said before the tournament was called off.

''It's extremely sad something like this can happen, especially hitting some landmark spots in the city. It seems that tourists have been 100 per cent targetted, which is a worry.'' Big-hitting opener Michael Hayden, while lamenting the loss of lives, said the abandonment of the Champions League was a sad day for cricket, but there were bigger issues.

''It is a huge loss for international cricket when you consider two of our national domestic sides were going to travel there to be a part of a global tournament and arguably one of the future success stories of the game,'' he said.

''That impact is minor compared to the social and economic impacts it will have on India,'' he added. ''From our point of view having a great affiliation with the country, we are shattered for the lives of the people that have been affected by it.'' UNI XC AB PY DS1235